New framework - A landmark step change in land agreement negotiations

22-Aug-2016

The NSW Government has today entered into an historic partnership with the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) to develop a new framework to speed up
and negotiate better Aboriginal land claim outcomes.

Minister for Lands and Water Niall Blair said the new Aboriginal Land Agreement negotiation framework is a fundamental change in the way the NSW Government
negotiates on land agreements.

The negotiation framework includes new principles to ensure important and voluntary negotiations with Aboriginal Land Councils are fair and likely to succeed
in the shared objective of speeding up the processing of land claims, Mr Blair said.

In doing so, it is hoped that agreements can be negotiated which provide sustainable outcomes for Aboriginal Land Councils and Aboriginal communities from
the return of land along with greater certainty to all parties over Crown land in NSW.

I welcome the positive collaborations between the NSW Government and NSWALC that have resulted in this innovative new framework. It shows how a true partnership
approach can achieve positive outcomes for the future,â€ Mrs Williams said.

NSWALC Chair Roy Ah-See said the collaborative approach the negotiation framework represents was welcome and well overdue.

Land underpins the cultural, economic and social life of Aboriginal people in New South Wales and it is the key to a self-reliant future for our peoples,â€
Mr Ah-See said.

The NSW Government's commitment to work in partnership with the NSW Aboriginal Land Council is a significant step forward in delivering the cultural, social
and economic outcomes that will benefit our communities and the whole community of NSW.